James



(No Model.)

J. M. KERR.

CURTAIN ROD.

No. 559,716. Patented May 5, 1896.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOH 12 %%1/u A TTOHIVEY Ihvrrnn STATES PATENT DFFICE.

.Il-UI'ES ll. KERR, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHRISTIAN G. MORITZ, OF SAME PLACE.

CURTAIN=ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,716, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed July 15, 1895. Serial No. 555,965. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. KERR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Curtain-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rods for hanging window-curtains and the like, and in the presentexample of my invention it is represented as applied to a two-part or double curtain, although equally adapted to the purpose of hanging a single curtain. By the term curtain I mean to include a portiere or other similar article.

The general object of my invention is to produce a curtain-rod which shall be adapted to adjust the curtain automatically in one direction, and permit its adjustment in the other direction by amechanieal means. To

this end it consists in the employment of a hollow body, with a longitudinal slot, spring or springs therein, having its end connected to an end of the hollow body, suspension devices depending from the spring through said longitudinal slot for receiving the curtain, a cord connected to the inner end of the spring, and a guide with a retaining device in the hollow for the passage of said cords, whereby if the selected curtain is hung on the suspension devicesof the spring or springs it is automatically adjusted in one direction under the impulse of the spring or springs and may be radially adjusted in the other direction by means of the cord or cords.

In the present example of my invention I have shown it applied to a curtain-rod adapted to the purpose of receiving a two-part curtain, as a lace window-curtain, using two springs and concomitants, one to each part of the curtain, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a curtainrod embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The letter A indicates the body of the rod, which is hollow and in this example in tubular form. At each end of this hollow body is a head 15, which is secured thereto by screws or other suitable fastenings and to each of which end heads is connected an outer end of a spring 0 of spiral form, the two springs being fitted into said hollow'body and upon a central bar D, extending the length thereof. To the inner end of the respective springs is connected a traction-cord c, which thence extends through a guide f in the side of the hollow body and engages with retaining or clamping devices 9 at the end of said guide. In the example shown said retaining device consists of an offset or offsets at each edge of the guide f, of tapering forn1, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; but it should be understood that various other well-known devices may be substituted therefor.

Depending from the coils of each of the spiral springs O are a series of suspension devices s, in this example in the form of hooks, which thence project I hrough the longitudinal slot F, which is formed in the hollow body for the reception thereof. When, as in this example, two springs C are used for adjusting the two-part curtain, the said longitudinal slot F is divided in two parts, each extending from a point near the end of the rod to a point near the mid-length thereof, leaving between the two parts of the slot a part to accommodate the guide or guides f for the traction-cords. I11 applying the rod thus constructed to use the curtain, or its parts, is simply hung on hooks s, or their substitutes, when by properly adjusting the traction cord or cords e the curtain may be shifted lengthwise of the rod and held in the desired position by bringing the cord into engagement with the retaining device g, while by releasing the cord the curtain is automatically shifted in the other direction by the action of the spring or springs. It may be remarked that the traction cord or cords (2 instead of being at the mid-length of the rod may be at either end thereof, in which event the spring or springs will be arranged to contract in an inward instead of an outward direction in relation to the rod. If desirable, the traction cord or cords a may be provided with a knot or other similar stop for regulating their movement as to retaining the curtain in the desired position of its adjustment. At a point intermediate of the point of connection of either cord ewith the spring 0 and the cord-guide f is a cross-bar O, with a rotary sleeve P, which serves the dual purpose of strengthening the hollow body of the rod and facilitating the movement of the cordnan1ely, by obviating friction of the cord with the edge of the guide. It is evident that instead of the spiral spring one of india-rubber or elastic material may be substituted.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A curtain-rod comprising a hollow body A with a head B at each end thereof, and with a longitudinal slot F in two parts, each part extending from a point near either end of the rod to a point near the mid-length thereof, leaving a solid portion between the inner ends of the slot, a central bar D in the hollow body extending the length thereof and secured in said end heads, spiral springs O mounted on said bar with one end of either spring connected to an end of the rod to automatically shift the curtain in one direction, a tractioncord 6 connected to either of said springs to permit the shifting of the curtain in opposite direction to said spring, said cords being connected to the inner end of either of the springs and passing over a cross-bar 0 having rotary sleeves, suspension devices, as hooks, depending from the spiral springs through the slots of the rod, a guide, as g, for each of the traction-cords in the side of the rod and retaining devices for the cords coacting with said guides, the guides and retaining devices being cut out of the solid hollow body of the rod, said retaining device being composed of a wedge-shaped edge of said guide, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JAMES M. KERR. \Vitnesses:

FRANCIS C. BOWEN, HENRY HOYT. 

